Lexington is indeed a gorgeous place! I’ll be back there all summer real soon 🙂

I really enjoy all your emails and helpfulness on this site. I’m pretty “new” at drawing, but I will definitely be spending all of my summer drawing and working up my lineart and drawing fundamentals!

I wish I could take Noah’s class, I really love his works. But, alas, no money from a college student with no job! Maybe I’ll be able to take it next time if it goes well this time around. 🙂 I would also like to partake in your Academy just the same, when I have the financial means… and more confident in my works!

Thank you for such a great site, with great resources and knowledge. I’ve always found it to be darkly humorous that art students, and artists in general, pay so much for education and supplies, yet so many people think it our effort and works aren’t worth much at all! Sometimes they figure they can just do what we do if they wanted to, and for cheaper…

I don’t plan on going to a university for my arts (though I’m at a community college), and this makes me feel better about that! I’ve seen so many great artists like yourself and Noah offering courses that I feel would be much better and hands on for myself.

Thanks so much for posting this back and forth between you two, I came into the livestream a little late yesterday.

You guys have so much awesome information to offer and I can only hope to absorb a fraction of what you guys have to offer. Because of this video I have decided to take Noah’s Art Camp class, and I hope that after I complete that to participate in the Oatley Academy!

I am one of the students who unknowingly went to an Art school and racked up enormous amounts of debt. I didn’t know any better, but I also didn’t do enough research before deciding. Although I met some of my closest friends there, I left with a sub-par portfolio. It is scary to be battling this situation, but I truly believe after learning everything I can from you guys, I can beat the debt and find real joy in my future work! I love painting, I just need to get better and better. And I think you guys can do that for me.

Thanks again to both of you for doing what you do and helping us newbies! 😛

Such a great, thought provoking discusion. Thanks, you guys! (And perfect timing, too. I forgot my audiobooks at home today.)

I’m actually horrified that art students in the US are graduating with 100k+ in debt. To go into a field with little to no job security and imminent layoff time. I think your advice about taking other routes to get an education and experience is fantastic. I would just add to that point that if students are chosing to not go to a university, they NEED to be prepared to compete with university graduates (using the routes you guys talked about). So you need to still get up to snuff!

You were talking about how a lot of people want to be a concept artist without even knowing why. From an outsiders perspective, There is something romantic about being a concept artist. Partly because it seems like an art job with a lot of freedom but mostly because of the work concept artists make. I think it shows in the work so clearly that Chris and Noah totally love what they are doing. Who doesn’t want that! The work you guys make is magical. Noah’s environments start dragging stories out me. Chris’s characters, I can almost hear them say something.

By the way, both you and Noah are truly “artists”! Keep up the great work and making a difference!
“Art is the work of a human, an individual seeking to make a statement, to cause a reaction, to connect. Art is something new, every time, and art might not work, precisely because it’s new, because it’s human and because it seeks to connect.”

Wonderful interview! You both hit all the nails on the head. And it’s absolutely correct that, (unless you want to be an art teacher in the University or State System, and often art schools do not require one depending on your professional reputation), you do not need a degree. Like Noah, I have never, ever had any art director or studio ask for my degree.

Choose how you get your instruction wisely, and don’t forget about the Junior Colleges. A JC paired with tutorials and workshops can be a great combination, for example. The best thing you can do is to have solid drawing and painting skills. Bottom line. That will give you your wings:-)

It’s great that you share this valuable information. I did go to art college and after graduating, I didn’t realize how hard it would be. Neither did my parents. My dad thought I’d get a job right out after I graduated which did not happen. Luckily, I have no loans to pay off because my parents paid for my education but I feel guilty that I let them down some how even though it wasn’t my fault. It took me close to five years until I was working full time as an artist/graphic designer. If I were to do it over, I would probably teach myself or go to an atelier. But when you’re 18, you’re naive and do need some guidance. I know I did. For some bizarre reason, I thought I knew everything about art at that age. Don’t know why and no one warned me before going down this art journey. Would have been nice to be given a heads up.

On a side note with your points about getting more followers on twitter, I feel like there is probably more to it than just posting great art. I have almost stopped posting my art anymore on facebook or twitter because no one comments or says anything. I get some likes on facebook, but compared to others, they get close to 30 likes and a lot more comments. It makes me question what I’m creating. Is it not interesting/exciting enough? Could it be my art just isn’t good enough? Or could it be that I’m not posting it at the right time for a lot of others to see? These thoughts scare me. I’ve been working my ass off and have seen a lot of growth and gained new skills along my journey. My only conclusion is that there are some people who are just a million times better than me and my skills and talents will always have some limits. I’m curious to know your thoughts on my point of view.

When I heard out about this, I couldn’t help but think that my worlds were colliding.
I found out about Noah about a year ago, and found your site a few months ago, and I was amazed that two of the most inspiring people were going to do a show together.

Both of you guys have helped me so much through the information you share!

I couldn’t help but smirk when you started mentioning how to frankenstein your education, because that’s exactly what I’ve been doing for a while, and I must say It has helped my growth so much.

First of all I’m not from the States, I live in Mexico, education here is ridiculously cheap. Yet I did quit my art school after a few semesters, not because of payment loans, but because of lack of focus in drawing or painting skills at all, I mean practically most of the fundamentals I learned, got them from either the internet or the school library.

Except from a few selected teachers, the school where I was, had the whole mentality of being free and expressing yourself, without any other kind of guide. Getting extravagant papers, transport, and an awful schedule kept me really busy, and my Illustration, drawing or painting skills weren’t improving at all.

The only upside were the drawing class and mainly because I had a model. Literally, one of the teachers I had, would say:”Draw the model” and then would just sit there waiting for the two hours of class to pass or call some friend and have a cell phone conversation.

The point is, even if you drawing classes are crappy, and a school doesn’t help you to get where you want, the amount of resources you can find on your own are so many, that ignoring it it’s just being lazy.

I mean you don’t need to be in a class to draw, you don’t need to be in a painting class to practice painting, its all just about loving it and being willing to do that just one last drawing just before the model changes position and you start over.

Thanks for doing this. You and Noah have been a huge motivation for me. Listening to two fanatical, experienced artists talk about the things that are so important and fundimental to the growth of every artist. Man! Can’t thank you enough for sharing your thoughts for free!

Thanks so much for sharing this! You guys went a lot of fantastic places, and I loved hearing about your experiences and advice. I think the part about critique is one reason why I’d argue brick-and-mortar schools still have value. It’s so easy to sit behind your computer nowadays, post a scathing review about someone whose art is worse than yours, never interact with them again, and call that “critique”. But making an effort to physically be somewhere again and again and put your own face behind your art and meet other artists face to face and form a relationship with them… that’s an invaluable commitment to community, and you just might not get that if your only understanding of an art community is dA or Tumblr.

What you and Noah are doing to bring professional level art education and critique online is timely and wonderful. But until that’s realized in a larger capacity, I don’t think a four-year education at a decent college is a waste of time at all.

Of course, your advice about NOT racking up $100K in big fancy art school debt is important, too! Absolutely work within your means, whatever those might be.

As someone who has made a living as a freelancer since the early 90s, I think the most difficult point to get across to those just starting is that this is the long haul. You do not land just one dream project and all is set; it is a constant road of landing jobs, finishing them and getting new ones. It is a long term march (or should be) and you have to constantly grow and explore.

A facet of education that I did not hear mentioned is that a big key to being a good illustrator/animator/artist is knowledge about a lot of things. I am a big fan of liberal arts education because I think it is good to have a background in literature, math, music, science etc. Learning how to research anything you have to draw for any media (movie, book, game) is so important.

One can get these skills outside of school, but I think learning should not be restricted to just art school. Learn and experience the world outside your studio as well.

Travel as much as possible, read as much as possible, have a couple other hobbies/interests in addition to the art foundations. There is a lot of benefit to being well-rounded.

Wow! Yet again, you open our minds to the inner world of art. Both you and Noah are so willing to share your insight and time with us. We are truly blessed to have teachers that are willing to fully engage with us, not withholding anything back. Honest answers to honest questions, imagine that! You two are setting the artist up for success. So refreshing!

Thank you so much for the video! You have no idea how that inspired and motivated me. Especially when you spoke about the time you were working at that shop and had about 30 minutes to have lunch and yet, you went home and painted (that worked like an awakening call for me).

Thanks again for the amazing video. You are both awesome.
See you in the Magic Box!

Thanks for putting this recording up in this website! It’s really inspiring to me~! And regarding the “cutting off video game” part, I have a hardcore suggestion, which is, get a computer which is just enough to paint A4 size in photoshop, hide all your consoles and stuff in your parents’ home. And live with it for months.

I am one of the kids who grew up holding NES controllers with my hands and that’s how it exactly stopped my addiction , HAHA~ hope this could help someone 😀

“Everything you put online is your professional face. …whatever you want that to be.”

Agreed 100%

Before finding your site Chris, another artist, Dave Kellet, had said such similar things. Being artists who are personable with fans and give them a pick-me-up, chances are going on a tear online any time we have a bad day would be bad…

One thing I think some folks forget (and it’s easy to do) is that online is not perfect anonymity. Something said on fb can get back to tumblr, or twitter, or whatever.

If someone’s consistently negative – even if they think it’s in “private” channels and shouldn’t be scrutinized – it has a way of coloring the way people see them. If the audience’s only means of connecting to an artist is online, why wouldn’t it? It’s like if I came in to work every day acting like a major pain in the butt, then said “but I’m so nice at home” when people said something about it.

We can choose who we want to be online. We can curate our online personalities. Why not make the best of it?

It was so interesting Chris, to hear how you also had to snip time away here and there on lunch breaks to make time for you art (like I’m doing now while studying a degree I’m not interested in.) Makes me feel like all those spare minutes will eventually count in the end 😀

I’ve never gotten a negative critique on DA or any art site. Its all just “great stuff”, even when I was terrible (or more terrible). i appreciate them, and they aren’t very constructive comments, but still… Working as a caricature artist in a couple of tourist traps cured me of any sensitivity to critiques anyway. I wish people were more brutal, actually.

I feel the same exact way, Mac! Someone saying ”that’s pretty” or ”I don’t like it” is so not helpful. I want to know why you do or don’t like it. I just appreciate honesty; that is what helps me grow as an artist.

Such a great interview !!
I’ve been studying and listening a lot of podcasts about art and the more I listen, more I want to work harder. It is really inspiring !

Actually, I’m doing ArtCamp from Noah, taking regular classes on life drawing and working as a background painter for animation.
Later this year I want to do the “Magic Box” too if possible.

I’ve been working so hard that got Tendinitis and It’s something I really need to be careful now, cause I keep seeing all these great content about art and really want to push myself to work harder.

Also, I’ll be doing Imaginism workshop on Ocotber so I hope my art will be changing this year to a better path.

I hope later on this year I can show you some of my work.
I’ve been painting a lot of backgrounds for animation, but right now I’m trying to learn more so I can try doing some fantasy art and get to work with Wizards of the Coast.

I found the bit where Noah was talking about his first job quite amusing – the game he worked on was my first gig too and he was redesigning a character that I had worked on and later did the Promo Art for based on what we had both put in (which became the final design). 🙂

Hey Chris!
Wow, I just wanted to comment on one particular point you brought up. That it’s okay to be a hobbyist. That’s such a freeing thought. Great insight. I was wondering if you could speak a bit more about how you might be able to determine with some clarity if you should work professionally or be just a hobbyist instead?

Blessings,
Matt

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